Notes

A historical biography about David McKinney was published in Goodspeed's Texas County History. It provides the following synopsis of his life: "David McKinney, an old and honored resident of Texas County, Mo., was born in Campbell County, Tenn., August 19, 1814, being a son of James and Sarah (Gouge) McKinney, who were born in Tennessee and died in Missouri in 1872, aged eighty-five years, and 1874 aged eighty years, respectively. They were married in Campbell County, Tenn., and at an early day removed to Cole County, Mo., taking up their residence in Texas County about 1845, where the father was engaged in farming. He was a Democrat and his wife was a member of the Baptist Church. At the age of twenty-two years David McKinney began farming for himself, and resided in Cole County for two years after his parents left, then also came to Texas County where he owns a valuable and productive farm. He was engaged in school teaching while in Cole County, and at one time was elected assessor of the county. Since coming to Texas County he has served three terms as county judge, one of these terms being presiding and probate judge, and has also filled the positions of public administrator and justice of the peace, being elected to these offices on the Democratic ticket, which party he has always supported. In 1836 he married Nancy Wade, who was born in Cole County, Mo., in 1818, and died in Texas county in 1862, being a daughter of William Wade. To them were born the following children: Margaret, Missouri, Monroe, Martha J., James William, Sarah, C.G., Alonzo, Ellen, Mary, Pinkney, and J.D. November 15, 1863, Mr. McKinney married Isabella, a daughter of J.S. Winningham. She was born in Overton County, Tenn., February 24, 1836, and by Mr. McKinney became the mother of the following children: Andrew J., Robert B., Nancy, Chelly, Ida and Jacob L. Mr. McKinney has fifty-eight grandchildren and ten great grandchildren. He and wife are members of the Missionary Baptist Church, and he is a member of the Masonic fraternity."

On 28 June 1914, a Serbian nationalist, Gavrilo Princip, assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, igniting a series of events culminating in World War I. The Germany Empire, part of the Central Powers that included the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires, took the first major military step, invading neutral Belgium in 1914 and further pushing into France. This invasion was countered by the Allied Powers, which in 1914 included France, Britain, Russia, Italy, and Japan. Early in the conflict, the war degraded to trench warfare where infantry men hunkered down, assaulted with machine guns, toxic gases, and modern artillery. On the Eastern Front, the Russians and the Germans and Austrians pushed back and forth across Poland, with neither side making any progress on the ground. Russia's failure to break the German defenses along with enormous losses in the army led eventually to the Russian Revolution of 1917 and Russia reaching an armistice with Germany in December 1917. This allowed Germany to move troops back to the Western Front in France.

When the war erupted In 1914, the US military forces, including the National Guard, numbered a scant 175,000 men. Therefore, US involvement in the early stages of the war consisted primarily of shipping material and supplies across the Atlantic Ocean to the Allies. Often, ships originally designed for carrying people were modified to carry arms under the guise of neutrality. The Germans relied on submarines to disrupt this "neutral" shipping. On 7 May 1915, the German submarine U-20, commanded by Walther Schwieger, sank the RMS Lusitania just off the coast of Ireland-Schwieger believed she carried war supplies. More than 1000 civilians were killed. Outrage over this sinking caused Congress to enlarge the standing forces and the worldwide community to pressure Germany to use more discretion in its torpedoing of ships. Despite this, Germany continued its efforts to prevent delivery of munitions via western European ports, sinking many civilian ships. On 2 April 1917, President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress for a declaration of war. Receiving it, Wilson realized the country had no direction for training, equipping, or deploying a modern military organization. Wilson selected Major General John J. Pershing to prepare a US force for service in Europe, and sent Pershing to France in May 1917.

Pershing set out to establish the American Expeditionary Force. The intent was to have a million US soldiers on the ground in France by May 1918. A couple of siblings from Jasper County, Missouri, Fred and George Page, signed-up on 25 February 1918 to serve in that American Expeditionary Force. Fred was inducted into the army at Webb City, Jasper County, Missouri and George was inducted in nearby Carterville. It's not clear where they received basic training, but the pair arrived in France on 13 June 1918 as part of the 89th Infantry Division, 164th Field Artillery Brigade, 340th Field Artillery. Fred (serial number 2,207,029) spent his time in Battery F, while George (serial number 2,207,034) served in batteries B and C as well as in company headquarters. On 24 July 1918, the expeditionary force was renamed the American First Army. The addition of American forces on the ground began to turn the tide of war, and in mid-September the American First Army spearheaded the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. After 47 days of intense fighting, the armistice of 11 November 1918 ended the First World War. Fred and George sailed for home on 24 May 1919. Both were honorably discharged. Sources:

Most of what we know about Henry comes from Goodspeed's History of Cole County, Missouri: "The earliest settlement made within Cole County as now constituted was that by the Tennessee colony in 1815-16, at the mouth of the Moniteau. The war [War of 1812] waged with England to maintain the rights of the young Republic was won by the soldiers of Tennessee and Kentucky. Lewis and Clarke [sic] had made known throughout the country the beauty of the Missouri region, and the United States had completed treaties with the original red owners, built forts for their protection from other warriors, and opened the highway for immigration. Among the members of the Moniteau party were John Inglish and his four sons, Henry McKenney and three sons, James Miller and five sons, James Fulkerson and three sons, David Young and three sons, William Gooch and four sons, Martin Gooch and two sons, John Harmon and one son, and Joshua Chambers and two sons. John Inglish, who built the first brick house in the county, located just west of the mouth of the Moniteau, and Henry McKenney, on the opposite side."

Four comments on Goodspeed's paragraph.... First, in 1803, President Thomas Jefferson brokered purchase of the Louisiana Territory, 600 million acres for $15 million, from the French. Soon afterward he selected his personal secretary, Meriweather Lewis, to lead a Corps of Discovery through this new territory in pursuit of a water route to the Pacific Ocean. Lewis, in turn, selected Corporal William Clark to co-command the expedition. Starting in 1804, the Corps of Discovery paddled their canoes up the Missouri River, eventually down the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean, and back home to St. Louis in 1806. On 5 June 1804, Lewis and Clark passed the Moniteau. This "Moniteau" was, according to Lewis and Clark, "the south Little Manitou creek, which takes its name from a strange figure resembling the bust of a man with the horns of a stag painted on a projecting rock, which may represent some spirit or deity." This Moniteau empties into the Missouri from the south near the junction of present-day Moniteau and Cole counties, and could be easily confused with what Lewis and Clark call the "Big Monitou", which empties into the Missouri near Rocheport, Howard County, Missouri. Second, John Inglish (English) was a captain in the US Regular Army, Tennessee militia during the War of 1812, and many of the people who made up the colony also appear on the muster rolls for his unit. (See James William McKinney, Henry's son, for more complete details on the war.) Third, it appears Cooch was frequently spelled Gouge. And fourth, that first brick house, built by John English, would also become the first "home" of the Circuit Court of Cole County in 1821, in what had become the community of Marion.

How remote was this settlement in what would become Cole County? Well, according to Goodspeed, "In 1819 there came to this locality... John Hensley, the first tavernkeeper and first senator of Cole County... In May of that year the steamboat Independence steamed up the [Missouri] river, and soon after came the United States surveyors. In 1820 the first townships were opened for entry, and then flocked thither the pioneers of the second period, who came to cultivate the land, or trade." Missouri finally became a state in 1821.

On 2 March 2008, I received a nice compilation of Henry McKinney and his children from Linda Feaster. Linda found the probate records for Henry in the archives of Cole County. She did such a nice job that I'll just include her version in quotes, with what she transcribed from the archives in italics. Linda writes: "Henry died 22 December 1836 in Cole County, Missouri. In the listing of heir's of Henry's estate, no mention is made of a surviving spouse. However, other information filed by the administrators of the estate at the time of filing the inventory of the estate mention the death of Mrs. McKinney in terms that imply that she died about the same time or shortly before Henry died. Other information in an annual accounting to the court lists two separate invoices for funeral expenses including the cost of two coffins. Henry McKinney's estate was admitted for probate in Cole County, Missouri on 31 December 1836 in case file 378A. Some filings for this estate were recorded under case 297A. The first item of note is a statement dated 30 December 1836 in which five of the heirs filed a signed statement with the court announcing their choice of administrator for Henry's estate: We, the heirs of Henry McKinney Senior, Dec'd do hereby announce our preference of administrating on the estate of said Deceased and recommend that Letters be granted to William Miller and John Harmon on the 30 Dec. 1836. [signed] James McKinney, Martin Gouge, John Gouge, David Chambers, Henry McKinney [Jr.].

"In the probate filings for the estate, married female descendants of Henry McKinney are not listed as heirs in their own right. Instead, their share is listed as belonging to their spouses with the exception of the one deceased daughter, Mary Ann (Polly) McKinney, who had married John Harmon. Her children are listed as heirs for her share. The initial filing with the court on 31 December 1836 is as follows: We the undersigned do swear that, to the best of our knowledge and belief, the following named persons are the legal heirs of Henry McKinney deceased to wit James McKinney, David Chambers, Martin Gouge, the heirs of Polly Harmon, formerly Polly McKinney, John Gouge, Henry McKinney, John McKinney, Sally McKinney & James Cravens, all of whom reside in Cole County Missouri, that the deceased died intestate, that we will make a perfect inventory of faithfully administer all the estate of the deceased and pay the debts as far as the assets will extend and the law direct, and account for and pay all assets which shall come to our hands or knowledge. [signed] William Miller, John Harmon Sworn to and subscribed before me this 31st day of Dec. 1836. [signed] E L Edwards clk cty crt.

"On the 8th day of February 1837, the two administrators filed a detailed inventory of the estate covering numerous items of personal property, cash and notes receivable, livestock, household furnishings, farming equipment, food stock and miscellaneous items. No real estate was included in the inventory although a statement was included that there were: four bushels of wheat sowed by the deceased on land belonging to John Harmon the Co-Administrator which the deceased person was to have the benefits resulting from said lands during his natural life by a verbal contract between the said Harmon and the person deceased. This could mean that Henry had transferred real estate owned by him during his lifetime and retained a life estate in said land.

"The schedule of inventory was dated 2 January 1837 and attached was an appraisal by Amon Inglish who also filed a statement with the court that they were present on 2 January 1837 at the opening and examining of the money and papers of Henry McKinney. They also stated that they did not have any interest in Henry's estate nor were they "of kin" to any person having an interest in the estate.

"The inventory filed on 8 February 1837 totaled $985.85. Accompanying the inventory was the following statement: We, William Miller and John Harmon administrators of Henry McKinney Deceased do say on oath that the above inventory is full inventory and description of all the money, Goods, Chattles and Estate personal, Books, papers, and evidences of debts due or becoming due, so far as we can ascertain them, except the wearing apparel of the two deceased, Mr. & Mrs. McKinney, & fifteen yards of cloth reserved for the two children that was living with them at their death, and that we was not indebted, or bound in any contract to the deceased at the time of his death, except as stated in the inventory — so help you god [signed] William Miller, John Harmon admrs Sworn and subscribed to me the 8th day of February 1837 [signed] H B Inglish JP.

"Of special interest is the exclusion of the cloth of the two deceased, Mr. & Mrs. McKinney. This statement supports the conclusion that both husband and wife died close to the same time. An accounting of the court in February 1838 reports the amount of cash paid out by the administrators and includes the following: By amount paid for funeral expenses as per voucher #1 $9.75, voucher #2 $12.00. The receipt for $9.75 states that it is for articles bought on the 22nd Decemberfor funeral expense. The receipt for $12.00 is for making 2 coffins.

"By February 1839, the estate had grown to the sum of $1,046.23½ after payments of expenses. By February 1840, the estate had grown by one for $1.00 being a debt due from Caswell McKinney which just became known. At this time, the administrators disclosed the amount paid to each legatee. To Martin Gouge $105.52, James McKinney $105.52, Henry McKinney (Jr.) $105.52, Louis A. Piper $105.52, John Gouge $105.52, James McKinney Guardian for James Craven Minor heirs $105.52, James Chambers the Executor of David Chambers Deceased $105.52, John Harmon Co. Ad. Father of the seven minor heirs $82.08, and Washington & Lindsey Harmon [who had become of age] $23.44 for a total of $949.68 to the heirs. Other expenses, commission, etc. totaled $95.81, leaving a balance due the heirs of $1.74½. Accompanying this distribution is a sworn statement that a final settlement notice for the estate was published in the Jefferson Enquirer, published in Jefferson County on 7 November 1839.

"From the distribution to the heirs reported to the court in February 1840, we conclude that since the death of her father, Sarah (Sally) McKinney has married Louis A. Piper, David Chambers is now deceased and so are James Craven and his wife who was a daughter of Henry McKinney."

A last note on Henry McKinney. Linda puts his death at 22 December 1836 because that was the date that funeral expenses were incurred. He may have died a day earlier as well. Sources:

On 18 June 1812 the United States declared war on Great Britain. The US perceived that the British were impeding free trade between the US and France; the French under Napoleon were still at war with the British. The US was irritated that British naval forces were intercepting and searching US ships on the high seas, looking for British deserters and conscripting US citizens for service in the British navy. And, the US believed the British were arming American Indians on the US western frontier in order to restrict US expansion. In the opening days of the war, the US attempted to invade Canada. Subsequently, much of the war was fought along the Saint Lawrence River, on Lake Champlain in New York, and around the Great Lakes. The British, with initial superior naval power, were effective in attacking eastern US ports. They burned all of the significant public buildings in Washington DC, including the White House. The British also assaulted Fort McHenry at the entrance to Baltimore Harbor, giving Francis Scott Key inspiration for the poem that would eventually become the Star Spangled Banner.

In the southern US, the Creek Indian War (1813–1814) was a war within the war. The Creeks (also known as the Red Sticks), led by Chief Menawa, were supported by the British and Spain. In early 1814, 1000 Creeks established camp on the Horseshoe Bend of the Tallapoosa River in what would become east-central Alabama. On 10 January 1814, in Jacksboro, the seat of Campbell County, Tennessee, Captain John English (Inglish) enlisted volunteers into the 2nd Regiment of East Tennessee Militia, under the command of Colonel Samuel Bunch. According to the Tennessee State Library and Archives, Captain English was one of 20 captains serving under Bunch. Among the men that joined that day were 1st Lieutenant James English, Corporal William Fulkerson, Martin Gouge, and Private James McKinney. Captain English marched his men to Knoxville, Tennessee, where they remained about two weeks, as other units joined them. From Knoxville, they marched to Camp Ross on Lookout Mountain, near the present-day site of Chattanooga, Tennessee.

General Andrew Jackson commanded members of the US Regular Army, Tennessee militias (including Col. Bunch), and American Indians sympathetic to the United States. Jackson's plan was to fight the Creeks at Horseshoe Bend. So, on 6 March 1814, Captain English and his company left Camp Ross for Fort Williams, located at the mouth of Cedar Creek and the Coosa River in what is now Talladega County, Alabama. Fort Williams was constructed in 1814 to serve as a supply depot to support the impending Battle of Horseshoe Bend. The Tennessee State Library and Archives indicate that Captain English and his company were not part of the battle, but the National Park Service Horseshoe Bend Military Park and Collier's transcription of Captain English's Muster Rolls indicate they were. Either way, James McKinney was sick and left at Camp Ross, along with several other members of the company. On 27 March 1814, Jackson's men routed the Red Sticks. From there, General Jackson led his forces to a decisive battle at New Orleans; this battle, on 8 January 1815, was fought two weeks after the Treaty of Ghent was signed (24 December 1814), which ended the war. Notoriety from his military exploits help Jackson become elected as the 7th President of the United States; he served two terms from 1829 through 1837.

Perhaps during cold nights during the war, Captain English and his comrades from Campbell County sat about the fire talking about what they would do after the war. Perhaps one of the dreams was to pack up and move 600 miles to the western frontier of the United States.... because that is what they did.

From Goodspeed's History of Cole County, Missouri, members of the Tennessee Colony (see Henry McKinney for more details) included: "... John Inglish and his four sons, Henry McKenney and three sons [James William, Henry Jr., John], James Miller and five sons, James Fulkerson and three sons, David Young and three sons, William Gooch and four sons, Martin Gooch and two sons, John Harmon and one son, and Joshua Chambers and two sons. This parallels members of the company: James English (Inglish) was Captain John English's son, Private James William McKinney was the son of Henry McKinney, James Miller was a private, Corporal William Fulkerson may have been one son of James, and Martin Gooch (Gouge).

Sometime during the 1840s, James, Sarah, and family [need to check which members, exactly] moved the 100 or so miles south to Texas County, Missouri. After the Act of 14 February 1871 allowed veterans of the War of 1812 to petition for pensions, James William did so—he completed the "Declaration of Soldier for Pension" form on 19 April 1871 before the county clerk of Texas County. Here he states he was married in Campbell County, Tennessee in November 1809 to Sarah Poe, volunteered in February 1814, and was discharged in May 1814 and that his discharge papers were lost, but that he had received a land warrant for his service. On 22 August 1871, the Department of the Interior asked James to provide official evidence of service as part of Claim No. 12270. On 31 August 1871, J.R. Blakenship, post master at Houston, Texas County, verified the authenticity of James and his witnesses. On 26 October 1871, the Treasury Department indicated James served from 10 January 1814 to 6 March 1814 "when left sick at Camp Ross" and that James was paid for 1 month plus 28 days of service, even though his company was in service until 14 July 1815. Therefore, on 22 April 1872, the Department of the Interior wrote James that his request was declined due to insufficient service (only 56 days of service, not the requisite 60 days needed for pension). So, on 10 May 1872, James sent another letter to the Department of the Interior through the county clerk's office. In the letter he recalls the details of his service, and that of his company, and that for his service he received land warrant No. 56,484 for 160 acres dated 23 February 1857. Even so, on 11 June 1872 the Department of the Interior again rejected his petition.

Curiously, the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, which maintains the official land warrant records, doesn't show James William McKinney ever receiving land warrant No. 56,484. Sources:

On 6 November 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected 16th President of the United States. He declared during the campaign that "Government cannot endure permanently half slave, half free..." Almost immediately and in response to that declaration, South Carolina seceded from the Union. Within two months, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas followed suit, and by February 1861 they formed the Confederate States of America. On 12 April 1861, the Confederates fired upon Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina-the Civil War, the War of the Rebellion, had begun. A few days later Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina also seceded. Kentucky was a border state between the Union and the Confederacy. In late 1860, Kentucky had officially proclaimed its neutrality despite the fact that slavery was lawful, and through most of the early days of the conflict, including the first battle of Bull Run in July, both the North and South respected the Commonwealth's stance. In September 1861, however, Confederate troops moved north from Tennessee into Columbus because of its strategic importance to river and rail traffic. Almost immediately, Union forces under command of Major General Ulysses S. Grant moved south from Illinois to Pudacah for the same reason. The population was torn between loyalties and both the Union and Confederacy began recruiting Kentuckians for the war.

In Cumberland County, men volunteered into both armies. A local Burkesville man, Colonel David R. Haggard, organized the Union's 5th Kentucky Cavalry in the Cumberland County seat during fall 1861 through February 1862. The volunteer ranks quickly swelled to 789 other men from Cumberland County, including John R. Page. The record is inconsistent; John Page enrolled on either 2, 4, or 12 October 1861. He was assigned to Captain John Q. Owsley's Company C. The Muster Roll indicates he "...owned his horse & horse equipment since from 2nd Oct 61...".

In early December, the Union's Kentucky Fifth was still in Kentucky, and fears of impending invasion by the Confederates had them anxious. The Rebels had crossed the Cumberland River and were advancing on Somerset and Rowena, east of Columbia and Burkesville. Union forces were concerned that the Confederate troops would advance on the Union's 11th Brigade Headquarters in Columbia (the 11th was part of the Army of the Ohio's 5th Division). On 10 December, Brigadier General George H. Thomas, who just a week earlier had been assigned to command the 1st Division of Major General Don Carlos Buell's Army of the Ohio, was advised that the Union forces at Columbia were decimated by sickness. Colonel Haggard moved a portion of his force toward Rowena to intercept the Rebels. On 12 December, Thomas is advised that Brigadier General Jeremiah Tilford Boyle at headquarters had sent out scouts in the direction of Edmonton (southwest), Glasgow (west), Greensburg (northwest), and Cumberland (east) to determine if the Confederates were moving on Columbia. It may have been that Captain Owsley was part of that scouting effort, because Owsley and his Company C were near Mt. Gilead Church, on the grounds of what had been Camp Knox. This was along the main route from Columbia to Greensburg in Green County, just west of the line with Adair County. [This camp was established in 1770 by Colonel James Knox who had led a group of "Long Hunters", so named because their hunting expeditions lasted several years in the wilderness; the location of this former camp was midway between Columbia (about 30 miles north of Burkesville), county seat of Adair County, and Greensburg, county seat of Green County. Subsequently, this area is referenced in the pension files of John Page as Mt. Gilead, Green County, Columbia, and Adair County.]

On 12 December, Captain Owsley set his pickets in order to receive advanced warning of any Confederate approach. Corporal John R. Page was on picket duty when his horse pulled down a rail from a fence. When Corporal Page bent over to untie the horse's lead from the rail, his pistol slipped from his pocket, struck a rail, and discharged into his chest. No doubt the already jittery men in his company rushed to see what had happened, and carried the bleeding and severely injured volunteer back to camp. It's likely the field surgeon quickly noted that the ball entered the thorax between the third and fourth ribs, about an inch and a half to the right of the sternum. The ball passed through his lung to the underside of the right scapular, where it became lodged. Surgical skills of the day prevented any attempt to remove the ball.

Corporal Page probably spent the next few weeks recuperating, hearing, along with his comrades, of Lincoln's General War Order No. 1, issued on 31 January 1862, that called for Union forces to begin advancing on the Confederate States of America. It's not clear if Corporal Page traveled with the rest of Company C for its official mustering in at Gallatin, Tennessee on 31 March, but the Muster-in Roll seems to indicate he did.

No doubt the buzz around camp in Gallatin was the battle earlier in March between the Confederate Ironclad "Merrimac" the Union Ironclad "Monitor", signaling the end of the wooden battleship. A week after mustering, the troops were probably either shocked, or amazed, or incensed to hear of the Battle of Shiloh, were Major General Ulysses S. Grant's unprepared troops were surprised by a Confederate attack from across the Tennessee River-more that 23,000 men were killed or wounded in the fight. Union officers must have known then that the fight was serious, and realized that Corporal Page was unfit for further service.

On Saturday, 19 April, John R. Page received his "Certificate of Disability for Discharge", which stated that Corporal Page "was enlisted on the 4th day of October 1861, to serve 3 years; he was born in Cumberland County in the State of Kentucky is 28 years of age, 5 feet 11 inches high, dark complexion, dark eyes, dark hair, and by occupation when enlisted a Farmer. During the last two months said soldier has been unfit for duty 60 days." "Discharged this 19 day of April 1862, at Nashville Tennessee" by Colonel David R. Haggard of the Kentucky 5th Cavalry.

John returned to his farm near the line between Cumberland and Clinton counties, probably near Willis Creek northeast of Burkesville in the area where his father-in-law, Thomas Radford, resided. From his home, he probably heard about General Robert E. Lee assuming command of the Confederate forces in June, the second Battle of Bull Run in August, and Lee's assault on Union forces at Antietem, Maryland, in September. During that fight, where General George Brinton McClellan's troops stopped Lee's forces, 26,000 men were killed, wounded, or missing. Perhaps John and Nancy were pleased to hear Lincoln issued a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation freeing slaves in September, but worried about the bloody Union loss at Fredericksburg, Virginia in early December. But then again, maybe they had their minds on other matters in early December. Their fourth child, Martha, was born on 8 December with the help of Sally Este, a midwife.

With the start of the new year, Lincoln issued the final Emancipation Proclamation. After Fredericksburg, good news for Union forces was hard to find; in May 1863 the Confederate forces were victorious at Chancellorsville, Virginia, although Confederate General Stonewall Jackson was mortally wounded. Soon though, the tide started to shift toward the Union. During the first 4 days of July, Union forces defeated the "Rebs" at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and General Grant accepted a Confederate surrender at Vicksburg, Mississippi—this split the Confederacy in two. Although the Rebels responded with a victory at Chickamauga in northern Georgia, the Union ended the year by defeating the Confederates at Chattanooga, Tennessee.

In May 1864 the Union forces began a massive, coordinated attack on the Confederates. Grant began advancing toward Richmond, Virginia, whereas Major General William Tecumseh Sherman began moving from the west toward Atlanta. Sherman reached Atlanta by July and by September his forces captured this southern stronghold. Although the citizens of Cumberland County exercised their civic duty and voted on Tuesday 8 November to help determine the next President of the United States (Lincoln was re-elected), Nancy and John may or may not have participated. John was still suffering from his wound, and just 8 days later Nancy gave birth to daughter Mary Eva. For the rest of the month, Sherman and his army "March to the Sea", carving a line of destruction 300 miles long and 60 miles wide all the way to Savannah.

In early 1865, the largest remnant of the Confederate force was near Petersburg, Virginia. After a Rebel offensive was quickly routed by Union forces in March, Grant led his force into the Confederate Capital in Richmond. On 9 April 1865, General Lee surrendered his Confederate Army to Grant at the village of Appomattox Court House in Virginia. Five days later, President Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C.—Lincoln died the following day. On 6 December, the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified by the States, abolishing slavery.

In fall 1866, Corporal John R. Page began the process of applying for his Civil War pension as an invalid. On 22 September, W.G. Hunter, the Examining Surgeon, prepared a "Civil Surgeon's Affidavit to Officer's or Soldier's Disability." In his affidavit, Dr. Hunter, a 24-year-old Irish immigrant who had a practice in Burkesville, described the accidental shooting, the wound, and concluded that John "...suffers in consequence from severe attacks of pyemia coughing, which is produced on the slightest exertion. Partial paralysis of the right arm has also been produced by the wound, which renders that member almost useless." His disability was rated as "three-fourths." On 10 October John submitted his "Invalid Pension Application" at Burkesville, along with an "Officer's Certificate to Disability of Soldier - Invalid Pension." The latter showed that John "...was enrolled into the service of the United States at Burkesville in the State of Kentucky on the 12th day of October A.D. 1861 to serve for the period of three years and was honorably discharged at Gallatin in the State of Tennessee on or about the 19th day of October A.D. 1862." One of his witnesses was Caleb M. Radford, his brother-in-law.

On 25 January 1867, Nancy gave birth to Robert L., the couples sixth child with the help of midwife Minerva Parrish. Soon after, on 4 March 1867, John appeared before L.A. Waggener, the Clerk for the Cumberland County Court, and submitted his affidavit that described the details of his accidental shooting. John signed his name with an "X". Moreover, Captain Owsley also submitted an affidavit. In it, Owsley "declares that this is the identical John Owsley who Dec of 1861 was Captain of Co "C" 5th Regt Ky Vol Cavy that on the 12th of December 1861 John R. Page a Corporal of his company was detailed on picket at or near a place called Mt. Gilead Ch in Green County, Kentucky and that while on picket duty said John R. Page had hitched his horse to a fence the hose pulling down the fence said John R. Page was in the act of putting it up when his revolver fell out of his pocket and striking a rail discharged it the ball entering his breast - These facts I learned from the statements of John R. Page at the time and those of his comrades who were on duty with him. I have no interest in this claim."

This must have sufficed, as John was granted pension certificate number 83,941 at the agency at Louisville, Kentucky, on 2 August 1867. A year later, however, he must have still been waiting for payments, because on 12 Oct 1868 he submitted a "Declaration for Arrears of Pensions" in Cumberland County, again before Mr. Waggener. Beside requesting the back payments, the document states that John is represented by Chipman Hosmer and Company of Washington, D.C.

This apparently got the Bureau of Pensions motivated, and on the first day of February 1869, W.T. Otto, Acting Secretary of the Interior, issued John's pension with the "pay being at the rate of six dollars per month, to commence on the 19th day of April 1862." On 10 May, however, John, now classified as having a "total" disability, submitted his "Application for Increase of Invalid Pension" before Mr. Waggener in Cumberland County. It seems John was not successful in this request. On 4 September 1869, John visited with Dr. Hunter in Burkesville. Hunter recommended increasing John 's pension from $6 per month because the disability was "total" Hunter wrote that "The increased disability is due to the irritation caused by the ball, which from its position cannot be extracted. It produces [?] which causes debility and constitutional symptoms similar to pyemia. The right arm in consequence is of but little use to him. In my opinion the disability is permanent."

On 20 November 1871 tragedy struck the Page family; daughter Mary Eva died and was buried in a small cemetery, just south of the Burkesville to Albany Road, near the border between Cumberland and Clinton counties.

On 12 August 1872, John again visited Mr. Waggener at the courthouse in Burkesville and submitted another "Application for Increase of Invalid Pension." John asked to go from his current $8 per month to the "third grade" because of his disability. On this application, John indicates he lived "on the road leading from Monticello Road to Burkesville & Albany Road, in what is called the 'Seminary'." This was followed by Dr. Hunter submitting another "Examining Surgeon's Certificate" on 14 October. From this point forward, these certificates give John's height, weight, and respiration and pulse rates. At this particular visit, John was 6 feet tall, weighed 125 pounds, had a dark complexion, and a normal respiration and pulse. Hunter states that John's wound makes him "totally helpless" and the doctor recommends that the disability payment be "$18 per month." [Just a note, his weight ranged from 125 to 145 over the years.]

John must have thought this application was successful, because on 30 December 1873 he traveled the 10 miles from his home on Seminary Road east to Burkesville to file yet another "Application for Increase of Invalid Pension." In this application, John states that he was suppose to see an increase to $18 per month commencing on 14 October 1872. He goes on to say that in April 1873, he received notice from the Bureau of Pensions to report to Dr. W.B. Greene, Examining Surgeon. On 9 June, John was examined by Dr. Greene in Tompkinsville, Monroe County, Kentucky. For some reason, Greene stated that John was only entitled to $8 per month. Subsequently, on 16 September, his pension was reduced from $18 to $8 per month. On 4 October, John again visits Dr. Hunter in Burkesville. Hunter notes that the embedded ball is "causing a troublesome cough, with a paralytic condition of the right arm" and recommends a disability payment of $18 per month. So, on 30 December, John's application for increase states the following: "What great injustice has been done him and he respectfully submits evidence herewith and asks that he be referred to some impartial Examining Surgeon for examination, that he is incapable from earning his subsistence by manual labor and his disability is equal to the loss of a hand or foot." John hired a Louisville attorney, J.M.? Rook, to represent him. That same day, D.R. Haggard and R. Alexander submitted a supporting joint affidavit. [I believe this was Dr. David R. Haggard and Dr. R.M. Alexander; both lived in Burkesville. I also believe that Colonel Haggard and Dr. Haggard were the same individual; interestingly, he fought for the Union and owned 7 slaves (what looks like a family) in 1860.]

Despite this, John was still receiving only $8 per month when he visited Dr. Hunter on 6 May 1874 in Burkesville. Again, Hunter writes that the ball causes "constant irritation of the right lung, producing a constant cough with bloody [spula?] and at times profuse hemorrhaging from that lung, rendering him [?] for any kind of employment. The malady is permanent..." and recommends a disability payment of $18 per month. Additional visits in October 1874 and September 1875 showed John's condition was the same, as was his monthly pension payment: $8.

On 23 July 1877, John's pyemia, a systemic infection, finally took his life. He was buried in the small cemetery near his daughter Mary.

On 6 October 1877, the widow Nancy traveled to Burkesville and visited Mr. Waggener at the courthouse. She recorded several documents. One was her "Widow's Application for Army Pension." Here she "further declares that she was married to the said John R. Page in the County in the year 1856; and that her name before her said marriage was Nancy W. Radford that her husband the aforesaid John R. Page died on the day above mentioned [23rd day of July A.D. 1877] and that she has remained a widow ever since..." Nancy also indicates her attorney is J.L. McFarland of Washington, D.C. She also submitted this affidavit: "State of Kentucky, County of Cumberland. On this 6th day of Octo A.D. 1877, before me L.A. Waggener, a clerk within and for the County and State aforesaid personally came and appeared Nancy W. Page, aged 41 years, a resident of the county of Cumberland in the State of Ky who being by me duly sworn according to law, on oath declares that she is the widow of John R. Page, dead who was late Corporal Co "C" 5th Ky Cavalry Vols in the war of 1861 who died the 23rd day of July 1877 - from the effects of a gun shot wound in the chest, while in the service of the United States in the line of duty near Columbia, Kentucky - and for which he was placed upon the pension roll list of the U.S. drawing his said pension at the Louisville, Ky Agency - at the rate of eight dollars per month as per certificate no 83941, dated 25th January 1873. That said soldier died leaving two children under the age of sixteen years - to wit, Martha A. Page born Dec 8"-/62 & Robt L. Page born January 25"/67 - that she cannot produce the affidavit of the midwife as to the date of birth of Martha A. because said midwife is dead, as the next best evidence she furnishes the affidavit of Susan Glidewell who was present at the time of said child's birth." She signed her affidavit with an "X."

Susan Glidewell and Minerva Parrish submitted affidavits on 11 and 12 October, respectively. Glidewell claimed she assisted Sally Estes, now dead, with the delivery of Martha on 8 December 1862, whereas Parrish attested that she was midwife when Robert was born on 25 January 1867. On 27 October, T.P. Haggard, a mere 25 years old, claimed he was the attending physician for John for 6 years. He also stated the cause of John's wound, and that the wound "discharged its contents in the thoraxic cavity producing pyemia from which he died July 23rd 1877." [I suspect this was Thomas P. Haggard, son of Dr. D.R. Haggard.]

Sometime in this process, Nancy also submitted transcriptions of her marriage board, license, and certificate. These documents are interesting in that each clearly states Nancy W. Radford was intending to, and did marry, John R. Page alias Dicken on 7 February 1856 at the home of her father, Thomas Radford, in Cumberland County by Gideon Pharis. With all the paperwork in place, Nancy was Widow Pension 179,713.

Presumably for 10 years all went smoothly with the Bureau of Pensions. Although it's not clear why, perhaps he courted the widow Page unsuccessfully, Samuel Mackey sent a letter to Bureau of Pensions on 14 October 1887. He writes: "Mr. John C. Black. Sir, as you our a commissioner of Pensions and yore duty to attend to such business I wish to in form you that I know of some fraud claims according to the law or as I under stand it and if you will send me some blanks to have some witnesses swaren I will send them back to you filled out and swarn to by some one of authority to swar the witnesses to the affidavits. Any soldier that is entitled to a Pension claim I am in favor of him having it tho if he is not intitled to a claim he ought to be reported and his claim stoped and if you think so send me the blanks and I will return them as soon as posibel to you. So I will close hoping to her from you soon. Yores verey respectfully, Samuel Mackey." He followed that with another letter on 5 November 1887, writing: "Mr. John C. Black. Sir, I drop you a few lines concerning the widow N.J. Page Pension claim. J. R. Page the soldier claimed Pension for a gun shot wound in the top part of the shoulder or brest and to some trubel. You call upon John Grady he was the Physician that waited on him the last part of sickness and his post office address is Columbia, Ky and he is the cherman of the examining surgeon of the [?] at Columbia Ky and he will inform you the case of his death."

Understandably, this got the interest of the Bureau of Pensions, and the Acting Commissioner of the Bureau of Pensions, Wm. E. McLean, instructs Special Examiner A.F. Burnley to take a deposition from Dr. John H. Grady in Columbia. [Apparently Black had been named Commissioner months earlier but had not yet assumed office.] In that 12 December 1887 deposition, Dr. Grady describes visiting a Robert Page in Clinton County in 1877 and then describes Page's cirrhosis of the liver as cause of death. Grady indicates the examiner should contact Dr. Pickens in Clay County, Tennessee, to collaborate this statement. Commissioner John C. Black instructed Special Examiner John M. Thompson to meet with Dr. S.K. Pickens in Celina, Clay County. On 16 April 1888, Thompson did just that, and Pickens collaborated Grady's word-Pickens stated he had no knowledge of any gun shot wound.

In late May 1888, the widow Page was dropped from the pension rolls based "... on testimony obtained by the Special Examiners showing [?] cause of death was cirrhosis of liver caused by excessive use of alcoholic liquids." Fortunately, Legal Reviewer Dickey and Re-reviewer Harrington realized the confusion over names and events and on 2 October 1888 reversed that decision, and by 5 January 1889 the suspension was removed.

Another 17 years would go by until Nancy Page had contact with the Bureau of Pensions. On 18 September 1916, Nancy, in apparent response to a change in the pension law, penned this letter: "Pauls Valley Okla. Sept 18, 1916. To the Commissioner of Pensions - Washington D.C. - I am entitled to an enceas of Pension under the first clause of the new Pension Law. My husbands name was John R. Page. His service was in the 5 Fifth Rigt of Kentucky Co C. He was a corporal During his Service. My name is Nancy W. Page. The number of my certificate is 179713. I am 80 years old was baurnd in Cumberland County Kentucky June the 23, 1836. My address is Pauls Valley Okla R#2#Box 61."

Almost a year later, on 22 November 1917, Nancy died. The next day, her son, Robert, spent $50 to purchase her casket at Garner and Newbern - Hardward, Furniture, and Undertaking - Implements and Harness. She was buried on 7 December at Byars Cemetery in nearby McClain County, Oklahoma. On 24 February 1918, her son, Robert L. Page, wrote the Department of the Interior: "Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C. Gentlemen, my mother who was Nancy W. Page died 22 Dec 1917. Check No 179713 balance [?] an last check was one month twenty two days. Kindly look this up & let me know. & ablige R.L. Page Pauls Valley Okla." On 5 March 1918 the official paperwork was processed dropping her from the pension rolls, repeating the erroneous date of death that Robert had included in the letter: 22 December.

On 12 March 1918, Robert went to the Clerk of Garvin County, Oklahoma to complete an "Application for Reimbursement" for Nancy's funeral expenses. The Clerk had terrible handwriting and spelling abilities. The application states that Nancy died on 22 November 1917. At the time of her death, she had $40 cash, which was all used for "berell expenses." The cause of her death was an "acidentel faul" on 16 November 1917. She was living with her son, R.L. (Robert), 4 miles south west of Byars, Oklahoma. R.L. sought $75.50; $10 for doctor expenses, $50 for the coffin, $5.50 for the cemetery lot, and $10 for something at Byars. After a couple of letters of clarification between Robert and the Bureau of Pensions, the final reimbursement was sent on 23 May 1918. The final tally showed the Bureau of Pensions approved $12 for physicians' bills, $50 for the casket, $3.50 for the cemetery lot, and $6.25 for her final dress. This total, $71.75, less the $40 she had when she died, plus the $15.83 she had accrued in pension before her death, meant that R.L. received a check for $47.58.

[Information for Dr. Hunter, D.R. Haggard, T.P. Haggard, and R. Alexander, was obtained from the US Census (including the 1860 Federal Slave Schedule and the 1890 Veteran's Schedule) records on Ancestry.com during November 2007.] Sources:

Mrs. Morris D. Wallon, of Lancaster, entertained at a variety shower last evening for Mrs. Robert Hill, nee Florence Holmes, whose wedding of last December was recently announced. The gifts were hidden in out-of-the-way places and discovered by armed alarm clocks. Bridge was the planned entertainment of the evening, favors going to Mrs. Lyle Kline, Mrs. Ross Holmes and Mrs. Wayne Hannah. Mrs. Hill receiving the guest prize. A buffet supper was served at 11 o'clock, roses being used in decoration of the dining room.

The Freeport Journal-Standard, Friday, 17 Jun 1938, p 2, left column

Mrs. Leroy Kasten Entertains for Mrs. Robert Hill

Mrs. Leroy Kasten entertained at a shower last night for Mrs. Robert Hill at her home 1032 East Stephenson street. Games and contests were the order of entertainment, prizes going to Mrs. Elmer Hill, Mrs. Archie Schwarze and Miss Marjorie Hill. Mrs. Hill was presented with a handsome chair and table. Supper was served at 11 o'clock at a table prettily decorated with garden flowers.

According to Alma Huber, Magdalena and Mr. Hunsicker had three children; the first two children's names are unlegible on my copy, but neither had children. It looks like their daughter, Frita, had a daughter.

According to Alma Huber: "Luisa Salomea Gebhard married her first cousin in 1832. Jacob and Luisa had 18 children." It must have frustrated Alma, as she wrote: "There must be another child as all records claim Jacob and Louisa Gebhard Ziegler had 18 children."

According to Alma Huber: "They had 10 children. They built a home kin Kettrichhof near Obersimten about 1768 of red sandstone which is still occupied. Notice Anna Eva Thomas Ziegler lived to be 90 years old, the only one of the parents or grandparents who lived to see her grandchildren married."

Alma Huber wrote: "Heinrich... ...(3d child of Johann Heinrich and Anna Eva Thomas Ziegler) married Louisa Gebhard, 1802, daughter of Lorenz and Anna Veith Gebhard. Two Ziegler brothers married 2 Gebhards, their first cousins. Heinrich wrote up all the family records in his old bible in Kettrichof [sic]. This is still in existence, 1959, and is authentic. He stated his parents left 4 sons and 1 daughter--Eva Maria Gebhard. Eva Maria's daughter, Louisa, married her [Eva Maria's] brother Jacob's [Louisa's uncle's] son, also named Jacob Ziegler, 1804-1899."

Alma Huber wrote: "Louis was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the Masonic Order in the State of Washington, an eloquent speaker; moved to Spokane Falls, Washington Territory in 1879." Alma then quotes someone or something: "Uncle Louis as prosperous, had wagon-making shop, flour mill, etc.; amassed a fortune in Spokane. The Ziegler business block is still standing there. Aunt Maggie was the first white woman in that territory."

Alma Huber wrote: "married Vera Harter, still living at 100 East Waupansie Street, Dwight, Illinois; children all attended Illinois State University, Champaign, Illinois. Jacob Frank (Frank) was President of the Illinois Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers in 1953. My nephew, Wallace H. Campbell, who makes the farm loans for Prudential Life Insurance Company, knew him well. University of Illinois in 1907 had pcitures of 5 surviving aunts, Louise, Maria, Catherine, Rachel and Eva. Frank was a member of the Acacia Fraternity and the Universalist Church."

Alma Huber wrote: "They lived in Brown County, Ohio most of their life. Their next [sic] neighbors were the Simpsons -- mother of Ulysses Simpson Grant (18th President of the United States). He was an authority in Mathematics. He was the first of all the Zieglers to come to America. According to Jessie Wand (a great granddaughter) he came in 1826 when her grandfather, Jacob (b. 1823) was 3 years old. They lived 8 miles from Georgetown, Ohio. He is buried at Arnheim, Ohio -- near the Lutheran church 4 miles from the old farm house."

Alma Huber wrote: "This family came to the U.S.A. The husband and the eldest son, Christian, returned to the farm at Rodalberhof in Germany. The mother, Anna Maria, and the other 3 children stayed in U.S.A. None were married and all died in the U.S.A."

Christ Lutheran News. Last Saturday Otto Dumroese and Miss Alma Polkow were married at the parsonage. The bridesmaid was Miss Myrtle Polkow and the best man William Dumroese. Mr. and Mrs. Otto Dumroese will reside at 1159 Clarence.

Dutch had the tradition of using patronymic..... names. Father was Wobbes, the son became Jan Wobbes.... In the Archives, trace back to Jan Wobbes. Interestingly, on the death record for his wife, Geeske Jacobs, her full name is listed as Geeske Jacobs Smitter, daughter of Jacob Hendriks Smitter and Hiltje Alberts. Jan is just Jan Wobbes. Did Jan assume the Smitter name from Geeske's side of the family?

Edward's death certificate indicates he was born in Püsitz, a small village (121 inhabitants in 1905) 2.4 km northeast of Bresin (now Brzezno) and 12.8 km (8 miles) northeast of Lauenburg (Lebork). This is now in the Gdanskie province of Poland.

Friederich, Louise, and their two children left Hamburg on 12 August 1868 aboard the Harmonia. They arrived in New York on 25 August 1868, passing through the Castle Garden immigration center at the tip of Manhatten. Castle Garden was the immigration center from 1830 until 1892, the year Ellis Island opened. This was the second of three immigrations of the Christian and Sophia Kubbernuss family to Berrien County, Michigan. Sources: